(Southampton, NY –July 20, 2022) – On Friday, July 15th, Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) Founder & Chair Audrey Gruss hosted a panel discussion on mental health, followed by a festive luncheon, at the Southampton Arts Center to kick off the seventh annual Race of Hope to Defeat Depression, a 5K run/walk in August that raises funds for depression research.
Over 80 people attended the panel discussion, which HDRF conceived in partnership with Southampton Arts Center (SAC) Board member Simone Levinson. Conducted from 11 am to 12 pm in the SAC theatre, the discussion focused on The Four Pillars of Mental Health: Sleep, Diet, Exercise and Meditation. Panelists were Bob Roth, CEO of the David Lynch Foundation, Eddie Stern, yoga instructor and author, Jamie Pabst, founder and CEO of Spiritune and Ivey Leidy, nutrition expert and coach. The moderator was HDRF Executive Director Louisa Benton.
In her welcome remarks, Audrey Gruss said: “This discussion on evidence-based methods to reduce stress and increase resilience to anxiety is more important than ever. Mental illness and mental wellness are the reverse side of the same coin.”
The luncheon followed the panel discussion, and was exclusively for the committee members of the Race of Hope. Over 60 committee members attended including James R. Borynack and Adolfo Zaralegui, Janna Bullock, Arthur Dunnam and Roy Cohen, Mark Gilbertson, Alan Glatt, Jamee and Peter Gregory, Martin Gruss, Mai Hallingby Harrison, Kim Heirston, Natasha Jeffries, Sharon Loeb, Anne Nordeman, Kathy Prounis, Nancy Silverman, and Lis Waterman.
Luncheon Guests were seated at tables adorned with bright yellow sunflowers in the SAC Sculpture Garden, where they enjoyed a delicious buffet of grilled chicken kebabs, poached salmon, grilled vegetables, gourmet cheeses, farro salad, garden salad, red potato and string beans and fresh fruit kebabs.
Throughout the luncheon, models stolled among the tables donning the Fall 2022 collection from Akris, a sponsor of the Race of Hope. After the luncheon, guest walked to the Akris boutique nearby on Jobs Lane for champagne and dessert bites. They also picked up gift bags that featured a summery Akris scarf as well as skin products from Tammy Fender, another Race sponsor.
This year HDRF’s Week of Hope will also make its grand return, concluding with the seventh annual Race of Hope to Defeat Depression on Sunday, August 7. The Week of Hope is a village-wide initiative to raise mental health awareness, when hundreds of stores in downtown Southampton place a large yellow, environmentally friendly balloon just outside their door. The balloons represent commitment to mental health awareness, and the stores are given an information card from HDRF to hand out with educational information about recognizing the signs of depression.
Race of Hope, a high-spirited, family-friendly 5K run/walk event will take place at 8.30 AM around Lake Agawam in Southampton. All participants will receive HDRF’s signature yellow Race gear and finisher medal, and prizes will be awarded for the best time in different age categories, as well as for the top individual fundraiser and top fundraising team. Audrey Gruss and Arthur Dunnam, who is an HDRF Advisory Board member and resides in East Hampton, will serve as Race Co-Grand Marshals.
100% of proceeds from the Race will fund groundbreaking research into the root causes of depression in the brain and new and better treatments. To learn more and register for the race, visit https://www.raceofhopeseries.com/.
5K Race of Hope Committee
Platinum Level: Judy & Leonard Lauder, Jamee & Peter Gregory, Paulson Family Foundation, Nancy Silverman.
Gold Level: Felice & Shelley Bergman, David C. Bohnett, James R. Borynack & Adolfo Zaralegui/Findlay Galleries, Geoffrey Bradfield, Ide & David Dangoor, Annie & Michael Falk, Bambi & Roger Felberbaum, The Hon. David Fischer & Jennifer Fischer, Frances & Jeff Fisher, Mary Ann Fribourg, Kim Heirston, Tania Higgins, Kontes Family, Sharon and John Loeb, Jr., Robert F. Mancuso, Mary P. Moran, Anne & Jacques Nordeman, Jane & Richard Novick, Kathy Prounis, Barbara & Randall Smith, Mary Ann Tighe and David Hidalgo, Lynne Wheat.
Silver Level
Bruce Bierman & William Secord, Serena Bowman, Jill Blanchard, Rita and Charles Bronfman, Bulgin & Associates, Janna Bullock, Sharon Bush & Bob Murray, Pilar & Stephen Robert, Lisa & Sanford Ehrenkranz, Marjorie & Alexander Federbush, Kelli and Jerry Ford, Barbara & Alan Glatt, Mrs. Darcy Gould, Susan Gutfreund, Candy Hamm, Mai Hallingby Harrison, Yaz & Valentin Hernández, Gail Hilson, Ashley & Harriet Hoffman, Elizabeth & Edgar Howard, Natasha Jeffries, Carol Mack, Muffy & Donald Miller, Lucia N. Musso, Pamela Pantzer, Bonnie Pfeiffer Evans, Robin Pickett, Hilary Geary Ross, Carolyn & Curtis Schenker, Frances G. Scaife, Ginny & David Sydorick, Lydia Touzet, Nicholas Varney, Susan H. Warner, Lis Waterman, Clelia & Tom Zacharias, Silvia Zoullas.
5K Race of Hope Sponsors
Akris, Findlay Galleries, Gubbins Running, Jacob Antilety Landscaping, Livingston Builders, Scott’s Protein Balls, Southampton Arts Center, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Tammy Fender skin products.
